The Department of Information and Communications  (DICT) signed on Thursday a memorandum of agreement with common infrastructure providers Isoc Infrastructure Inc. and edotco Group Sdn. Bhd. that cements the start of works for their shared tower initiatives.

Under the agreement, the ICT department shall assist Isoc and edotco with all regulatory and administrative requirements mandated under Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business Act, and Republic Act 10844, or DICT Act of 2015 and in coordinating with other government agencies for matters that are covered by the aforementioned laws.

The DICT shall also allow the two companies to use its properties for the construction of common towers.

In a broader sense, the five-year agreement paves the way for Isoc and edotco to begin works in putting up these initial common towers.

Eliseo M. Rio, chief of the ICT department, described this exercise as “testing the waters” for shared infrastructure.

“Isoc has always been in the forefront of the common tower development in the country [and] they were the first to sign a memorandum of understanding with the DICT, as well as the first tower company to enter into a partnership with a local telco operator,” he said.

Michael C. Cosiquien, Isoc infrastructure chairman, said his group views the common infrastructure initiative as “vital to state interest.”

“This landmark agreement affirms Isoc’s contribution to the Duterte administration’s vision of improving telecommunications infrastructure and services in the country,” he said.

The government aims to put up at least 50,000 new common towers to help improve tower density in the country and provide end users with better Internet services.